Box folding apparatus



March 12, 1935. 1. H. WEBER BOX FOLDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet l OOOOOOQOOOOO Y m E yflw T V E A m R m, m r .m e lIliu fl2 w l u Q March 12, 1935. l. H. WEBER BOX FOLDING APPARATUS Filed 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ISADOREH. WEBER ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 12,1935

UNITED PATENT I OFFICE Box FOLDING APiARATUS Isadore H. -Weber,PhiladelphimPa; Applicationjl ebrua -y e, 1931, Serial No. 513,884

' 4 cl im (01. 271-257) This invention relates to apparatus employed inthe manufacture of corrugated paperboxes and the like and moreparticularly to an 'appara'- tus. for facilitating not only the foldingand handling of the preliminarily cut andscored sheets of which theboxes are fabricated but also the delivery thereof directly to a machinefor performing a subsequent operation upon the sheets or to 'a' pointconveniently located with respect to said machine. U

Heretofo're and prior to thisinvention-it has been the usual practicefollowing the operations of scoring and cutting the fiat sheets of whichthe boxes are fabricated to load. the same upon a truck Joy-which theywere delivered to an apparatus-for folding over the opposite ends of thebox sheet, the sheets to be so folded being manually lifted from thetruck to an elevated point where they were fed th'rough the rollers ofthe sheet-folding apparatus. The sheets thus fed through the rollers ofthe folding apparatus were permitted to drop upon an inclined conveyorfor gravitation to the lowerend thereof. An operator stationed at thelower end of this inclined conveyor received each of the folded sheetsas they were discharged from the conveyor and stacked them one upon theOtherfordeliVery to a machine for performing a subsequent operation uponthe sheets. This necessitated the employment of one or more operators ateach end of the folding apparatus, the operators atthe feeding end beingrequired to lift e'ach" sheet to be folded for insertion through therolls and the operator at the discharge ordelivery end of the apparatusbeing required to lift each folded sheet from the conveyor in order toproperly stack them upon a truck for delivery'to the next station-in theline of operations. I i 1 Inasmuchfas the sheets to be folded arefrequently'of large size and quite heavy, consider able effort isrequired to lift each sheetto-the feeding position. In addition to this,the time consumed in separately lifting each sheet into feeding positionmaterially decreasesthe possible output [of the apparatus. What is trueat the feeding end of the apparatusis likewise true at the dischargeendthereof because it has been necessary for the operatorat this end tofsep'a rately hit each sheet from the conveyor for trans ference to" atruck. Furthermore, the speed with which the sheets are fed through thefolding rolls is dependent upon the speed with which the folded sheetsare removed from the disch'arge'end thereof, and vice versa, inconsequence of which a slow operator at "one end of the apparatusnaturallyh'ad. the effect of slowing up the speed of operation ofafaster operator at the other end. i

It is accordingly among. the principal objects of the present inventionto provide an apparatus which is capable of overcoming theaforementioned difficultiesandby virtue of which the output of the sheetfolding apparatus is materially increased. w A further ob'ject of theinvention is to provide an apparatus for facilitating the feeding ofsheets through a set of sheet folding rolls as well as for facilitatingthe handling thereof at the discharge end of the apparatus. I v

I Still another object of the invention'is to provide an apparatus whichis operative in such manner as to permit a single operator to" feedwithout interruptiona greater quantity of sheets through a pair offolding rolls than was possible heretofore. this'being accomplished bymeans of a lift bearing a stack of sheets to be folded, the lift beingelevated at a speed which is so regulated as tosuccessively presentea'ch' sheet of the stack beginning with the uppermost one thereof'forprojectiori rectilifiearly'from off the top'of the stack toward andthrough the folding rolls of the apparatus. 5 In other wordspthe lift iselevated at a speed such that an-operator stationed on an elevatedplatform immediately behind the lift is merely required to project thetopmost sheet of the stack forwardly and in theplane thereof forinsertion through the rolls.

Still another and important object of th present invention is theprovision of a sheet foldingapparatus including a mechanism which isoperative to effect thestacking of a predetermined "of" folded sheets"upon an inclined conveyor, I this mechanism being automaticallyoperative to release the stack for delivery to the discharge end oftheconveyor.

"A further object of the invention is the provis'ion of a sheet-foldingapparatus including a m'echanis'm"w'hich-is automatically operative toinsure proper" stacking of th'eifolded sheets, this mechanism beingfurther automatically operative to deliver to an operator at thedischarge end ofthe apparatus said properly stacked pile of foldedsheets. j

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a stopmechanism for accumulating a 'pile of folded sheets .on the conveyor,this mechanism being operativelto automaticallyrelease the accumulatedsheets, when the pile reaches a pre-' determined height, for delivery toanoperator stationedat the discharge end of the conveyor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent morefully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in combination, construction,location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be describedhereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finallypointed out in the appended claims. In the said accompanying drawingswhich illustrate a preferred form and arrangement of the invention:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus constructed in accordancewith and embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view looking toward the discharge end ofthe apparatus;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;and p 7 Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the stop mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be seen that theapparatusas constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention include a pair of laterally spaced vertically extendingstandards 10-10 of substantially channel-shaped cross section to providea pair of opposed vertically extending guides or run-ways 11-11. Theupper, lower and intermediate portions of these standards are suitablyinterconnected by horizontally extending cross members to afford a rigidstructure. As appears most clearly in Figure 3 the lower end of thisstructure is founded within a depressed pit 12 extending below thesurface of the floor 13. Inclined braces 14-44, the upper end of whichare respectively suitably secured to the upper ends of the standards10-10 and the lower ends of which rest upon and are secured to the floor13, assist in maintaining the interconnected standards in the verticalposition shown.

Suitably mounted above the top of the standards 10-10 are a pair ofhorizontally disposed rolls 15 and 16, these rolls being arranged withtheir axes of rotation disposed in a common vertical plane. It will beunderstood that the opposite ends of each of the rolls 15 and 16 arerespectively journalled within suitable bearing boxes 1''! and 18, theseboxesbeing preferably mounted within the channel-shaped verticallyextending members 19. The upper pair of bearing boxes 17 are preferablyvertically adjustable whereby the upper roll 16 may be elevated orlowered to vary the clearance between it and the lower roll 15.Extending laterally from the upper end of one of the standards 10-10 isa horizontally disposed shelf 20 upon which is mounted an electricallyoperated motor 21 the shaft 22 of which is suitably geared to the lowerroll for imparting rotation thereto, it being understood that the sheetsto be folded are fed through the rolls 15 and 16. Respectively securedto and extending forwardly from the supporting, members 19 for thebearing boxes are a pair of brackets 24 between the free ends of whichis supported a horizontally extending rod 25. Supported upon this rod 25for free rotation thereon is a relatively short roll 26, this roll 26being arranged centrally between the standards 10 and in advance of theupper roll'16,

Suitably mounted within the bottom pit 12 is a bracket 27 affording ashelf or base for a second electrically operated motor 28. Respectivelyjournalled adjacent the upper and lower end of each of the verticallyextending standards 10-10 are a pair of sprocket wheels 31 and 32 aroundwhich extends an endless sprocket chain 33. Journalled between thevertically extending standards 10-10 immediately above the axis ofrotation of the lower set of sprocket wheels 32 is a shaft 34 which isconnected by means of a belt drive 35 or the like to the shaft of themotor 28. This shaft 34 which is thus driven by the motor 28 is alsoprovided adjacent either end thereof with a pair of sprocket wheels 36for respectively driving the sprocket chains 33.

Extending between the standards 10-10 is a carriage having upon each ofthe opposite sides thereof a pair of vertically spaced rollers 35 and36', each pair of these rollers 35' and 36 being adapted to travelvertically in the channels or run-ways respectively formed in thestandards 10-10. The carriage is secured to the laterally spacedsprocket chains 33 preferably by means of the bolts 37 and is providedwith a rearwardly projecting table or support 38. It will be understoodthat the rollers 35 and 36' arranged at each side of the verticallymovable carriage serve to maintain the upper surface of the rearwardlyextending support 38 in a substantially horizontal plane. The pit 12 isof a size sufflcient to receive the vertically disposed portion 39 ofthe carriage when the latter is in its lowermost position with thehorizontally extending portion 38thereof resting upon the floor asurface 13.

Suitably secured to one of the standards 10-10 is an electrical controlbox 40 withinwhich is housed the switching gear (not shown) forstarting, stopping and reversing the direction of rotation of the motor28. Operatively mounted upon the vertically extending frame of theapparatus adjacent the upper end thereof is a top stop switch 41, whilesimilarly associated with the frame adjacent the bottom end thereof is abottom stop switch 42. These top and bottom stop switches 41 and 42 arerespectively electrically connected to the switching gear in the controlbox 40 by way of the conductors 43' and 44, it being further noted thatthese stop switches project into the path of movement of the verticallymovable work supporting carriage. In other words, the top stop switch 41is so located that when the upper surface of the table 36 reaches apredetermined elevation the switch is engaged and actuated to open themotor circuit and so interrupt further upward movement of the carriage.Similarly, the bottom stop switch 42 is so located that when the worksupporting carriage reaches a predetermined point in its downward travelthe bottom end of the depending portion 39 of the carriage engages andactuates the switch 42 to so automatically interrupt the furtherdownward movement of the carnage.

Arranged immediately to the rear of the path of movement of the worksupporting carriage is an elevated platform 43 upon which is stationedan operator for feeding the sheets to be folded through the feed rolls15 and 16 of the apparatus. Provided in the upper surface of thisplatform is a foot actuated switch mechanism 44 which is electricallyconnected by means of the conductor 45 with the switching gear housedwithin the control box 40. This foot controlled switch mechanism 44includes a spring-pressed plunger 46 which is normally maintained inopen circuit position, the motor circuit being closed only when theoperator depresses this plunger 46 with his foot.

It will be understood that the horizontally extending portion 38 of thevertically movable carriage constitutes a table or support for a stackof sheets s which are to be individually fed through the folding rolls15 and 16. *I'hesesheets are delivered to the apparatus in any suitablemanner but preferably by means'of a truck (not shown) which is wheeledfrom the cutting and scoring machines to the present apparatus. Thepreliminarily cut and scored sheets areplaced flat wise upon a platform47 or the like which in turn is placed upon the delivery truck, thesheets being stacked upon this platform to any convenient heightdesired. Y 1

The vertically movable carriage of the apparatus is lowered to itslowermost position and. the platform 47 with its stack of sheets s istransferred from the truck to the horizontally extending portion 38 ofthe carriage. Theoperator then mounts the elevated platform 43 andactuates the switch 44 to start the motor'ZS 'and so cause the carriageto move upwardly. When the topmost sheet of the stack reaches anelevation such that it lies substantially in the horizontal plane of thebight of the feed rolls l5 and 16, the operator moves the said topmostsheet forwardly and into engagement with said rolls, it being understoodthat before so feeding the sheet to the rolls the opposite ends thereofare folded inwardly and against the flat intermediate body of the boxsheet. The speed at which-the carriage is elevated is so regulated withrespect to the speed with which the operator works that the top of thestack of sheets s is substantially in the same. plane at all times aseach folded sheet is fed through the feed rolls. If desired,the'operator may impart an intermittent elevating movement to thecarriage by intermittently actuating the switch mechanism 44 so as tosuccessively present the topmost sheet of the stack. in position .to berectilinearly shifted through and: between the folding rolls 15 and 16.v

Extending in advance of the vertically disposed standards 1010 is aninclined conveyor 48 the upper end of which is suitably secured to theupper end of the carriage guide frame. This conveyor 48 preferablycomprises an openrectangular frame the longitudinally extending sidemembers 4949 of which are in'the form of channel members between whichare journalled a series of rollers 50. These rollers 50 provide a toproller surface for receiving the folded sheets which are fed through therolls'lfi and l6'for gravitation toward the lower end thereof. In

the operation offthi'sapparatus it is desirable from the standpoint ofefficiency to effect the delivery to the lower end of the conveyor of avstack of folded sheets rather than permit the delivery of one foldedsheet at a time. In order to effect this desirable result the conveyoris provided with a stop mechanism designated generally by the referencenumeral 51 and whichmechanism will now be described.

As appears quite clearly in the drawings, this stop mechanism issupported in vertically spaced relation above the inclined conveyor 48by means of a supporting framework 52. Included in this framework 52 area pair of longitudinally extending members 53-53, these latter membersbeing respectively spaced above and in parallelism with the inclinedside members 4949 of the conveyor frame. Pivotally secured, as at 54, toeach of the members 53-53 is an arm 55, the upper end 56 of whichprojects above the plane of the members 53-53 while the lower end 5'7thereof terminates immediately above the roller surface of the conveyor.

Also secured to each of the members 53--53 and extending perpendicularlywith respect thereto is a fixed arm '53 to theupper; end of whichispivotally secured, as at 59, an arm'fifl. Each of these arms 60 isprovided in its free end with a downwardly presenting notch 61 with inwhich is adapted to be received the upper extremity 56 of the associated.pivotally mounted stop member 56. It will be observedthat when the armor detent 60 thus engages the upper end of the stop arm 56the latterwill be held against movement and in a position substantially normal tothe conveyor surface.

Suitably carried by the'fixed arm 58 is abracket element 62 within whichis threadedly secured a stud or pin 63 the upper end of whichconstitutes a bottom abutment or stop for the detent 60; Spring means 64tend constantly to draw this detent downwardly into'engagement with theupper end of the stud or pin 63. It will be understood that byvertically adjusting the position of this stud 63the lowermost positionof the detent may be varied as'desired.

Pivoted to the lower end of the fixed arm 58 is a rearwardly extendingarm 65 the free end of which is provided with a freelyrotatable wheel66. This wheel arm 65 is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 67adapted to engage the detent 60 foreffectin'gthe latters disengagementfrom the stop member 56. The upperend of the arm 67 may be provided withan adjustable extension 68 for varying the effective length of the arm6'7 and so vary the degreeof movement necessary forthe wheel arm 65to'lift the detent 60 free from the stop member 56. As a guide for thewheel arm 65 and to insure its'movement in a vertical plane a'bifurcatedmember '69 is secured to the rail 53, the forked portion of said member69 being so arranged as'tostraddle the wheel arm 65 during the movementof the latter. If desired and in order to insure unison of movementbetween the wheels 66 the latter may be commonly journalled upon a shaftwhich extends between and interconnects the free ends of the wheel arms67-457. I I

In the operation'of the apparatus the operator first places upon thevertically movable platform 38 a stack ofsheets s to be folded. Theoperator then mounts the elevated platform 43 and actuates the switchmechanism 44 to' cause the-platform to move upwardly. When the" topmostsheet reaches the horizontal plane of the night of the feed rolls 15 and16it-is moved forwardly through and between these rolls, the oppositeends of the sheet being first folded over. As each sheet reaches theaforesaid plane it is folded and shifted forwardly through the feedrolls. As each folded sheet emerges from between the feed rolls it dropsupon the inclined conveyor 48 and moves downwardly along this conveyoruntil the rear end thereof engages the arm 55. It will be understoodthat the sheets from the stack s are folded and fed consecutivelythrough the feed rolls so that eventually they are received in the formof a stack upon the conveyor 48.

As this stack of folded sheets'on the conveyor increases in height thetopmost sheet thereof engages the rotatable wheels 66. It will beunderstood that as the folded sheets are passed through.

the feed rolls 15 and 16 they are projected downwardly by the free roll26 and below the wheels 66. These wheels 66 are relatively so arrangedthat they respectively engage the opposite flaps of the folded sheet,the wheels being further of sufficient weight to maintain these flaps indepressed condition. It will be understood that as the stack of sheetson the conveyor 48 increases in height the wheels 66 are raised to apoint sufficient to effect engagement between the upmr end of the fixedarm 67 and the pivotally mounted detent 60. As long as this detent 60 isin engagement with the stop arm 55, as is most clearly shown in Figure1, the stack of folded sheets on the conveyor 49 is maintained in theposition shown. When, however, the stack of sheets on the conveyorreaches a height sufficient to raise the Wheels 66 to an extentsufiicient to effect disengagement between the detent 60 and the stoparm 55, the latter is free to move about its pivotal point 54. The stoparms are then no longer operable to maintain the stack of folded sheetsin position in consequence of which the stack, by reason of its ownweight, gravitates toward the lower end of the inclined conveyor 48.

It will be understood of course that the stop mechanism is adjustable toaccommodate sheets of different sizes and to provide for a stack ofgreater or less height. It will thus be seen that when the stack ofsheets on the conveyor 48 reaches a predetermined height or consists ofa predetermined number of folded sheets, the detent is actuated torelease the normally stationary stop arm 55 thereby permitting the stackto gravitate towards the lower end of the conveyor, where it is receivedby an operator stationed at that point.

It will be understood of course that the invention or inventions hereindisclosed are susceptible of various changes and modifications withoutdeparting from the real spirit or principles thereof and it isaccordingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically,as indicated by the appended claims. I

What is claimed as new and useful is:-

1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, aninclined conveyor upon which sheets are permitted to gravitate towardthe lower end thereof, means for feeding sheets to said conveyor, meansfor precluding the gravitation of said sheets whereby the same are piledintothe form of a stack, and means operable automati cally to releasethe stack for gravitation toward the lower end of the conveyor when thestack reaches a predetermined height.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, aninclined conveyor for delivering sheets toward a given point, means forfeed-v ing sheets to said conveyor, stop means operatively associatedwith the conveyor for precludingthe movement of said sheets beyond apredetermined point on said conveyor whereby the sheets are caused topile in the form of a stack, and means actuated by a stack of sheets ofpredetermined height or number to render said means ineffective toretain the stack against movement.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, anelevated set of rollers, a vertically movable carriage for supporting astack of sheets to be fed through said rollers, means for controllingthe movement of said carriage whereby to successively present saidsheets in position to be fed rectilinearly through said rollers, aninclined conveyor for delivering the sheets discharged from said rollersto a given point, means operatively associated with said conveyor forprecluding the movement of said discharged sheets beyond a predeterminedpoint .on the conveyor whereby the sheets are caused to pile in the formof Y a stack, and means operable automatically to release the stack formovement along the conveyor when said stack reaches a predeterminedheight.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, in' combination, a rigidframework including a pair of laterally spaced standards, a pair ofhorizontally arranged rolls supported above said framework, a movablecarriage movable vertically between said standards and including arearwardly extending table for supporting a stack of sheets to be fedthrough said rolls, an elevated platform arranged to the rear of thepath of movement of said table and upon which an operator may bestationed, means for controlling the upward movement of said carriagewhereby to successively present the topmost sheet of the stack inposition to be fed rectilinearly through the rolls, an inclined conveyoroperatively associated with said feeding rolls for receiving a pluralityof said sheets in stacked relation, means operative to temporarilyretain in immovable po sition upon said conveyor a predeterminedly fixednumber of said sheets in said stacked relation, and means for releasingsaid stack of sheets whereby to permit said conveyor to convey the stackof sheets by gravity to a point removed from the feeding rolls.

ISADORE H. WEBER.

